Pak Army Lt.Col Abducted and Reportedly Martyred by BLA in Balochistan

[Black.Mamba]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani forces, backed by helicopters, killed at least nine separatists after an outlawed group abducted and executed an army officer, government and security officials said Friday.

The military and local authorities confirmed Thursday that up to 15 militants disguised as police killed Col. Laeeq Mirza after abducting him Tuesday when he was traveling with his family from the town of Ziarat, 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.

The military did not share any updates about the operation on Friday.

Mirza was heading to a tourist resort when members of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), designated a “terrorist” group by the United States in 2019, halted his vehicle on a highway and seized him.

The group later claimed that it executed Mirza — but let his family members live because they were not involved in crimes against them.

Local government officials confirmed that the attackers freed the colonel’s family members.

According to two security officials, the insurgents were surrounded near the area of Harnai and Manga dam, where an exchange of fire was still continuing. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

But the military said the colonel’s civilian cousin — Umar Javed, who was traveling with him — was also abducted and remains in captivity.

The military said in a statement it was trying to find and rescue the hostage.

The killing of the colonel has drawn widespread condemnation in Pakistan. President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have vowed that those linked to the incident will be traced, arrested and punished.

For years, Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province has seen a low-level insurgency by the BLA and other separatist groups demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad. Although the government says it has quelled the insurgency, violence in the province has persisted.

In February, separatist insurgents attacked two military facilities in Balochistan, killing at least nine soldiers. In the subsequent exchange of fire, troops killed all 20 assailants in the hours-long firefights and follow-up operations.

A female suicide bomber from BLA in April targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese teachers inside a university campus in the port city of Karachi, killing three Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver. Since then, Pakistan has arrested or killed dozens of members of the group in multiple raids in Balochistan.

Pakistan says nine militants gunned down after army officer’s death

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani forces, backed by helicopters, killed at least nine separatists after an outlawed group abducted and executed an army officer, government and security officials said Friday. The military and local authorities confirmed Thursday that up to 15 militants disguised as police...

www.arabnews.pk

I just simply fail to understand, Why our policies are reactionary and we spring into action once the damage is done? Why can't we do things pro-actively?

 

[YaqoobAlam]

I just simply fail to understand, Why our policies are reactionary and we spring into action once the damage is done? Why can't we do things pro-actively?

I guess because we don`t want to disturb the equilibrium of score and give them chance to be peaceful. But whenever they initiate the process, the govt. already knows their whereabouts and engage them to get the message across.

 

[Signalian]

The military and local authorities confirmed Thursday that up to 15 militants disguised as police killed Col. Laeeq Mirza after abducting him Tuesday when he was traveling with his family from the town of Ziarat, 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.

Mirza was heading to a tourist resort when members of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), designated a “terrorist” group by the United States in 2019, halted his vehicle on a highway and seized him.

The question is where was the real Baluchistan Police.

 

[Zowais]

The army recognises all sacrifices made by civil and military personnel the real question should be asked to the governments do they even pay homage or visits to those who are martyred no they don't the thing is in natural calamities, disasters, emergencies its always the army that plays a vital role in helping the civil life of Pakistan whilst civil leaders stay idle.

1- We have seen on 9th-10th April how army leadership treats civilain mandate and civilian institutes. You may deny the happenings by calling them conspiracy theories as long as you want to.
2- For more than half of the country's history, army leadership has directly ruled this country, diregarding the constitution and humiliating the peoples' will. Now you are telling us that army goes to handle natural clamities etc. Question is, why these self proclaimed Aristotle generals did nothing for establishing specialist institutions for disaster managment. (Let me tell you why, because they were busy in political engineering, spreading ethno-religious controvercies, like they are doing right now, like mush did on 12th May, dividing peopel, so they could extend their illegal dictatorship). You may choose to beleive in the legitamacy of those dictatorships as long as you want to.

The real job of highlighting the sacrifices Pakistan has made is the Government's job yet we see army officials making a strong case for the sacrifices Pakistan has in the WOT on the Intl stage quote me any government official that has ever highlighted our sacrifices. You cant simple as.

We have seen a PM talking about the sacrifices made by Pakitanis in WOT and asking the western establishments to respect those sacrifices. Then we have also seen how taht PM was sent home by the midnight courts and the prison vans (against sitting PM). You may choose to call it conspiracy theory, as long as you want to, but apparently, one of the raesons for sending that PM home was exactly asking western establishment to respect Pakistani sacrifices.

It's funny we are getting lectures from idiots who think they know XYZ because of indifference to opinions.

It may be funny for you to see XYZ meddling in politics. Generals, in the past, have denied majority of Pakistanis in 71, their right to be ruled by their chosen leadership. That led to a situation muslim military history never experienced before, it was anything but funny for any body having feelings for this institution you are portraying to be sympathetic with. You may choose to call the whole 71 fiasco as conspiracy theory, you may even deny it ever happened, as long as it is convinient for you.

The army is not foolproof but it is the reason we have survived as a nation for 70 years whilst politics have always undermined our sense of security and peace.

I agree with you on importance of army for the survival of Pakistan. Even more, I beleive, considering its geography and the ideological nature of this country, a strong military having much more signifiicant role in national decision making, is basic requirement of its survival.
Does that mean the generals should send the elected governmnets home through midnight courts and prison vans, assasinate elected leaders through kangeroo courts, just because those leaders differ generals' rudimentry understanding of the national securrty (or God knows what motives, that i don't want to talk about). Does acknowledging army's importance for Pakistan mean to let generals start wars without caring for consent of people, and then getting thousands of people killed in those wars, billions of dollars lost, hundrads of thousands becoming homeless within motherland, Do they have any respect for the people on street?
I respect my fallen brothers serving in all departments, be it PIA, WAPDA, Army, Steel Mills, rehri walas, postmen, mine workers and so on. And in my opinion anybody trying to get legitamacy for any general's illegal acts, or any general imposing direct or indirect dictatorships, using blood of martyrs as smoke screen is the one disrespecting the martyrs.

In spite of the fact that they have deleted posts on this thread without giving any reason, i still hope no justice qayyum or retired LHC judges are moderating this, and they won't delete it without highlighting the reason. Aik mazdoor admi apni dehari chor ke messages likhta hai, in a hope that this discussion would help us shape better future, for the coming generations. Mana questions are too inconvinient for your bosses, kuch guzara karo please.

 

[Black.Mamba]

I guess because we don`t want to disturb the equilibrium of score and give them chance to be peaceful.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is referred to as Insanity and that has been the case be it in Waziristan or Balochistan, we have tried the peace road many times before and I believe it has failed miserably. Giving them a chance to be peaceful only lasts as long as they are able to regroup, reinforce and replenish and then the cycle repeats.

 

[murugan]

Do you guys have any common sense?

Are you really falling for the stupid excuse that Army would send an MI officer to Quetta under the ruse that he works for DHA?

MI aur ISI ki postings khulay aam hoti hain. This isn't an officer being sent as a Defence Attache or as a Controller to a foreign country, jo aik cover story banani ho.

This was in Quetta, where MI and ISI officers are routinely posted as part of their det.

Kuch to aqal ko nakhun maro. Use the grey matter.

This is what BLA hoped to achieve with this press release, and you have fallen for it like a sucker.

I understand the political sentiments for the estab, I have the same...but this shouldn't mean you leave your grey matter in the toilet.

So should everyone assume that The Army never sends Military Intelligence officers to Quetta under disguise or any ruse?

 

[Goenitz]

1- We have seen on 9th-10th April how army leadership treats civilain mandate and civilian institutes. You may deny the happenings by calling them conspiracy theories as long as you want to.
2- For more than half of the country's history, army leadership has directly ruled this country, diregarding the constitution and humiliating the peoples' will. Now you are telling us that army goes to handle natural clamities etc. Question is, why these self proclaimed Aristotle generals did nothing for establishing specialist institutions for disaster managment. (Let me tell you why, because they were busy in political engineering, spreading ethno-religious controvercies, like they are doing right now, like mush did on 12th May, dividing peopel, so they could extend their illegal dictatorship). You may choose to beleive in the legitamacy of those dictatorships as long as you want to.


We have seen a PM talking about the sacrifices made by Pakitanis in WOT and asking the western establishments to respect those sacrifices. Then we have also seen how taht PM was sent home by the midnight courts and the prison vans (against sitting PM). You may choose to call it conspiracy theory, as long as you want to, but apparently, one of the raesons for sending that PM home was exactly asking western establishment to respect Pakistani sacrifices.

It may be funny for you to see XYZ meddling in politics. Generals, in the past, have denied majority of Pakistanis in 71, their right to be ruled by their chosen leadership. That led to a situation muslim military history never experienced before, it was anything but funny for any body having feelings for this institution you are portraying to be sympathetic with. You may choose to call the whole 71 fiasco as conspiracy theory, you may even deny it ever happened, as long as it is convinient for you.

I agree with you on importance of army for the survival of Pakistan. Even more, I beleive, considering its geography and the ideological nature of this country, a strong military having much more signifiicant role in national decision making, is basic requirement of its survival.
Does that mean the generals should send the elected governmnets home through midnight courts and prison vans, assasinate elected leaders through kangeroo courts, just because those leaders differ generals' rudimentry understanding of the national securrty (or God knows what motives, that i don't want to talk about). Does acknowledging army's importance for Pakistan mean to let generals start wars without caring for consent of people, and then getting thousands of people killed in those wars, billions of dollars lost, hundrads of thousands becoming homeless within motherland, Do they have any respect for the people on street?
I respect my fallen brothers serving in all departments, be it PIA, WAPDA, Army, Steel Mills, rehri walas, postmen, mine workers and so on. And in my opinion anybody trying to get legitamacy for any general's illegal acts, or any general imposing direct or indirect dictatorships, using blood of martyrs as smoke screen is the one disrespecting the martyrs.

In spite of the fact that they have deleted posts on this thread without giving any reason, i still hope no justice qayyum or retired LHC judges are moderating this, and they won't delete it without highlighting the reason. Aik mazdoor admi apni dehari chor ke messages likhta hai, in a hope that this discussion would help us shape better future, for the coming generations. Mana questions are too inconvinient for your bosses, kuch guzara karo please.

good post

The question is where was the real Baluchistan Police.

There no institution left in Pak. All are politicised. lack of accountability means MNAs can allow sub-standard recruitment or even ghost employees. But then those MNAs are needed for political engineering. Same goes with teachers, municipal workers, etc

 

[blain2]

BHai sab DHA quetta ka lia khidmaat da raha tha na ka mulk ka lia. Just because there is a Col attached to his name does not turn it into a sacrifice. His demise is unfortunate but on another note, after, all the bending why is Pakistan, particularly the army still facing attacks from Indian-sponsored terrorists? This just shows no matter how much our establishment tries to please, in the end, they will still treat you like an enemy and kill you whenever they get the chance. Just look at the way Muslims are treated in India.
I hope common sense prevails within the army ranks and they do something about whats going on, otherwise na ghar ka rahin ga na ghat ka or leaders in ka be politicians ki tara bhag jain ga retirement hota he.

No thanks with your suggestion. It only goes to show the cosmetic level of understanding of the situation playing out.

Any officer traveling in that area has to be associated with some official work. Otherwise given the tensions and the internal security situation, people are not taking pleasure rides in that area. So please stop putting inferences around the role and capacity in which the said Col was operating.

Then you go about with that silly tie-in about "how much our establishment tries to please" - I am assuming you are suggesting pleasing India, which is another crass nonsense being propagated here. The attacks on the army have been going on since 1973. They ebb and flow of it is based on the ongoings within the province and beyond (as in Kashmir) so this whole thing is interconnected. The arrangement with India cannot be sorted out by pacification in one area. That would require even more draconian internal security measures against our very own people as such the entire security establishment has to go hot and cold from time to time to give political engagement space.

Your last comment is what I am absolutely stunned (actually disgusted by) because it is openly calling for mutiny within the Army. Only people who have lost complete hold of reality would suggest something so shortsighted and self-destructive. Obviously Libya, Afghanistan did not register with you.

 

[White privilege]

Would be more costly though, but I would personally like one such QRF to be IN AIR in all cities, that way we can further cut the time required for the helicopters to be pulled out, cold start etc....


This way, several more minutes can be saved and much more speedy response be guaranteed.

Can we mount high resolution cameras and supporting equipment on balloons, for increased/infinite loiter times to monitor the hinterland?? I guess balloon mounted radars are a thing.....

 

[PanzerKiel]

Can we mount high resolution cameras and supporting equipment on balloons, for increased/infinite loiter times to monitor the hinterland?? I guess balloon mounted radars are a thing.....

Isrealis are about to deploy those on Golan Heights.

 

[IceCold]

No thanks with your suggestion. It only goes to show the cosmetic level of understanding of the situation playing out.

What cosmetic? That after so many years, the military fails to protect its own within its own territory in peacetime forget about any bloody civilian? That the military is involved in matters beyond its jurisdiction and constantly meddling in them while negating this core duty of actually safeguarding the territorial integrity of Pakistan? I can much more but I am controlling myself!

Any officer traveling in that area has to be associated with some official work. Otherwise given the tensions and the internal security situation, people are not taking pleasure rides in that area. So please stop putting inferences around the role and capacity in which the said Col was operating.

Col sb was operating in DHA. Pray tell me what official work is that? Official in what sense? Go read about high court Judgement and army's continued involvement in business ventures which is outside its domain and only happens in Pakistan. Please!

Then you go about with that silly tie-in about "how much our establishment tries to please" - I am assuming you are suggesting pleasing India, which is another crass nonsense being propagated here. The attacks on the army have been going on since 1973. They ebb and flow based on the ongoings within the province and beyond (as in Kashmir) so this whole thing is interconnected. The arrangement with India cannot be sorted out by pacification in one area. That would require even more draconian internal security measures against our very own people as such the entire security establishment has to go hot and cool from time to time to give political engagement space.

Didn't our army chief say to bury the hatchet? Time to move on? It's his words, not mine. On whose authority was the army chief dictating policy matters? His job is to remain ready to fight and let politicians decide whether or not they want to bury the hatchet or not. Only in Pakistan, an army chief gives such open dictation on policy matters which is beyond his scope of work and people ask where actually this so-called pleasing is going? And this by the way hasnt happened the first time. In 62 While India was engaged with China, Pakistan had the perfect opportunity to take Kashmir, yeh Ayub decided to remain committed to US promises which were not worth a dime. In 65 he launched an ill-prepared operation resulting not only in the loss of an entire SSG unit but an open war with India. Don't try to reinvent history to suit your flavor when we know what the saviors are actually worth?

Your last comment is what I am absolutely stunned (actually disgusted by) because it is openly calling for mutiny within the Army. Only people who have lost complete hold of reality would suggest something so shortsighted and self-destructive.

Stun or disgusted all you want, the reality is that Bajwa has single handily destroyed the reputation of the armed forces of Pakistan. Whether it's flawed or not is another debate but the army's reputation is hitting rock bottom. What I am suggesting isn't mutiny. Core commanders can actually ask COAS to resign under circumstances when the entire institution is at stake because of one man. That man is neither above the army, certainly not above Pakistan.

Obviously Libya, Afghanistan did not register with you.

Obviously, the breaking of East Pakistan did not register with you either. Otherwise, you would have the decency to call spade a spade and not turn a blind eye to all that is happening in this country for the past 70 plus year and the army's role in it.

 

[YaqoobAlam]

openly calling for mutiny within the Army.

Sir I have observed several people doing it here. Wanted to mention but used to get entangled in other discussions.

 

[Signalian]

There no institution left in Pak. All are politicised. lack of accountability means MNAs can allow sub-standard recruitment or even ghost employees. But then those MNAs are needed for political engineering. Same goes with teachers, municipal workers, etc

It seems Baluchistan has only two cities unfortunately, Quetta and Gwadar. Rest of the province is mismanaged by federal govt, provincial govt and Interior ministry.

 

[ghazi52]

.,.,

Soldier martyred, 5 terrorists killed in Ziarat recovery operation: ISPR​

Naveed Siddiqui
July 15, 2022

A Pakistan Army soldier was martyred after terrorists opened fire on security forces during an operation in Balochistan’s Ziarat district to recover a civilian taken hostage, the military’s media affairs wing said on Friday.

The civilian, Omer Javed, was abducted along with his cousin, Lt Col Laiq Baig Mirza, near Warchoom, Ziarat, as they were returning after paying a visit to the Quaid’s residency. Lt Col Mirza was martyred by the terrorists as they were fleeing from security forces.

In a statement on Friday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that a terrorist hideout was identified and cleared by security forces during the ongoing recovery operation.

“On the night of July 14/15, a terrorist hideout was identified and cleared by security forces near Khost in the Khalifat Mountains. Once encircled, the terrorists opened fire on the closing-in troops,” the statement said.

As a result, Havaldar Khan Mohammad was martyred. Five terrorists belonging to the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) were also killed in the ensuing heavy exchange of fire, the ISPR added.

“The sanitisation operation, however, will continue in the area to apprehend the remaining perpetrators and recover Omer Javed,” the ISPR said.

Army official abducted, martyred​

On Thursday, the ISPR said that after receiving information about the abduction, Army Quick Reaction Forces were immediately despatched to chase the fleeing terrorists who were traced moving to their hideouts in the general area of the Mangi Dam.

A search operation was launched by security forces using Special Services Group (SSG) troops and helicopters to locate the abductees and the terrorists.

“Resultantly, on the night between July 13 and July 14, a group of six to eight terrorists was spotted moving in a nullah in nearby mountains by one of the teams of security forces. On sensing their possible encirclement, terrorists shot Lt Col Mirza and attempted to flee,” the statement added.

An exchange of fire ensued, resulting in the killing of two terrorists. The forces also recovered a cache of improvised explosive devices and ammunition. However, in the process, the remaining terrorists managed to flee from the scene with Omer.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had expressed grief at the martyrdom of Lt Col Mirza.

“Our law enforcement agencies will hunt down all those who perpetrated this heinous crime and bring them to justice,” the premier said.

 

[blain2]

I just simply fail to understand, Why our policies are reactionary and we spring into action once the damage is done? Why can't we do things pro-actively?

Because when we are proactive then the propaganda for Baloch rights subjugation starts against FC/Army. There is only so much that can be done militarily to what is essentially a political problem.

Sir I have observed several people doing it here. Wanted to mention but used to get entangled in other discussions.

Yes they have a tendency to do so under the garb of "I only want betterment of Pakistan". There is an army of snake-oil salesmen operating here and on SM.